This invention relates to a method for safely disposing of alkali metals.
The disposal of small quantities of highly reactive alkali metals is a simple process, for they can be easily reacted with water to form the alkali metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas which is quickly diluted with air and dispersed. The metal hydroxide so formed may then be solidified and stored or perhaps used as a chemical reagent.
The advent of liquid-metal-cooled nuclear reactors has brought new, previously unthought of, problems which must be considered when disposing of alkali metals. These reactors, which are cooled with liquid sodium or with a liquid eutectic sodium-potassium alloy (NaK), contain many thousands of gallons of these highly reactive metals which must be rendered relatively harmless before they can be stored or otherwise disposed of. The problems are now magnified many times, for not only are there very large quantities of material to dispose of, but there is also the problem that the material is often radioactive due to its long-time exposure to radiation within the reactor.
Heretofore the disposal of a large quantity of alkali metal has taken place by dumping it either on the ground or into the ocean and relying on the vast quantities of water to dilute the caustic so formed and the ocean air to quickly dilute the hydrogen concentration to a safe level. However, this is no longer a reasonable means for disposal of these metals because of the overall effects of the pollution on the ocean and on the general environment.